Flying machine



FIPSBDl A. HARB.

FLYING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 21. 1917.

ms unnmsrsrns 0a.. PHOTO-Tum. WASMINUI'ON; n. c.

Patented May 27,1919.

3 SHEETS-SHEET I.

ge nfdz A. HARB. FLYING MACHINE.

- APPLICATION FILED Nov. 21. m1. 7 1,304,967. Patented May 27,1919.

' a SHEETS-SHEET 3. I

Q 21' Q a a R Q, W

1 K HQ I a g M/u e/wbo ("i/Fred HarB p UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALFRED HARB, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR T0 LOUISA HARB, OF NEW YORKJN'. Y.

FLYING-MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 27, 1919.

Application filed November 27, 1917. Serial No. 204,202.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, ALFRED HARB, a subject of the Emperor of Austria, residing at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Flying-Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to aeroplanes, and the main object of the same is to provide an aeroplane having a main front wing combined with the front running gear and so hinged upon the body of the machine that they may be moved together relatively with respect to the same in such manner that they will enable the machine to make a quick or steep rise from the surface of the ground.

Another object of the invention is to provide an aeroplane with a main front supporting wing capable of movement relatively and bodily with respect to the body of the machine, so that the angle of incidence of the wing may be conveniently and quickly varied in order to make, under various and changing conditions of the air, a sudden precipitous ascent in the air.

WVith these and other objects in view, the invention resides in the details of construction and in the combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter shown in the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and in which Figure 1 is a view in front elevation of an aeroplane embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a top plan View of the same.

Fig. 3 is a View in side elevation of the same.

Fig. 4 is a fragmental view in side elevation, illustrating in particular how the plane and front running gear are combined for movement conjunctively, and illustrating also part of the mechanism employed for manipulating the same.

.Fig. 5 is a fragmental view in front elevation, illustrating how the plane and front running gear are united for movement conjunctively, and illustrating also the mechanism for operating the same.

Fig. 6 is a view in perspective of the cylindrical propeller screw employed for driving the machine.

With more particular reference to the accompanying drawings, the numeral 10 denotes the body of the car portion of the machine, the top, bottom and opposite side portions of the same converging toward the rear or tail end, as will be seen by an inspection of Figs. 2 and 3. This body may be constructed in any suitable manner of any suitable material in accordance with the approved methods of building aeroplane cars.

As will be best seen in Figs. 1 and 5, the front end of the car 10, on opposite sides, is provided with parallel downwardly projecting legs 11, to the lower ends of which are secured the fittings 12, in which is journaled intermediate its length for turning or rocking movement, the rod 13, which, beyond the fittings 12, on each side, is curved rearwardly (Fig. 2), terminating in a rearwardly and inwardly projecting arm 15. A rear longitudinal frame piece 16 rigidly connects the end arms 15, thus formed, completing the frame outline of the wing 17.

In other respects this wing 17 is made in accordance with the approved methods of constructing aeroplane wings including the necessary cross-pieces, braces, struts, guys, air-proof covering, and the like. United with the rod 13, beyond the outer sides of the fittings 12, as at 18, are the two vertical parallel supports 19 which terminate at their lower ends in bearings as 20, in which is journaled the axle 21 carrying the ground wheels 22. Rigidly secured to the upper ends of the vertical supports 19, are the ends of the arcuate or quadrant racks 23, provided on their inner sides with teeth 24:, the lower ends of the racks being rigidly secured to especially strong cross pieces as 25, the forward ends of which are secured to the vertical supports 19.

Arranged transversely through the car 10, below and adjacent the forward end of the cut-out portion 28 where the pilots seat is located (Fig. 3), and rotatively journaled in the fittings or bearings 26 and 27 (Fig. 5) suitably secured upon the inner side of the car, is a shaft 29, rigidly carrying on its opposite ends the gears 30, adapted to mesh with the teeth 24 of the racks 23, it being noted in this connection that the gears 30 are considerably wider than the rack 23, in order to permit limited longitudinal movement of the shaft 29 without disengagement of the teeth of the gears from the teeth 24. Also rigid upon the shaft 29, as best shown in Fig. 5, adjacent the inner side of one of the gears 30, is a hand wheel 31. Mounted around the shaft 29 and butting against the hub of the hand wheel 31 is a coiled push spring 32, which extends into the cavity 33 provided in the bearing 26, the end thereof butting against the bottom of this cavity. Upon the shaft 29 near the opposite end, is secured an octagonal lock nut 34 adapted slidably to fit in the octagonal cavity 35 cut for the purpose in the outer side of the bearing 27, and it will be observed here that the push spring 32 normally holds the shaft 29 so positioned that the octagonal nut 34' is engaged in the cavity 35 thereby locking the shaft 29 against rotation. Moreover, it will be observed that by moving the hand wheel 31 against the tension of the spring 32, the nut 34: will be removed from its cavity unlocking the shaft 29 so that the same may thereafter be rotated to rock or turn the shaft 13, tilting the plane 17, and simultaneously with it, the running gear, into the position desired.

Thus I support the plane 17 and the front running gear upon the rod or rock shaft 1.3, so that they may be given together a limited movement with respect to the body of the car. lVhen in operation, the hand wheel 31 is turned to the rear, the rack 23 will be swung downwardly, inclining the vertical elements 19 with the running gear swung forwardly and the plane 17 swung correspondingly in an inclined position, the extent of the movements of these parts depending as will be obvious, upon the extent of the movement of the hand wheel 31. When the plane 17 has been swung forwardly in the inclined position desired, the push spring 32 may then be permitted to bring the shaft 29 into locked position as above described, holding the plane 17, together with the running gear, locked in the position given to them.

lVhen the plane 17 is swung downwardly at an angle, it will be obvious that the reaction of the same with the stratum of air will,

cause the aeroplane to tilt upwardly for steep ascent, the degree of steepness of the ascent depending upon the extent of the inclination of the plane.

In the embodiment of the invention herein shown, masts as 36 rise rigidly from the car 10, alined longitudinally of the car, the position of the masts being such that the plane 37 carried thereby may have its front longitudinal edge extending approximately intermediate the width of the tiltable plane 17. This plane 37 is made larger in size both longitudinally and transversely than the tiltable plane 17, and it is preferably formed with its opposite longitudinal edges 38 converging on both sides of the masts 36, terminating in the rounded ends 39. This plane may be made out of any suitable materials and braced in any convenient manner in accordance with any of the wellknown and approved methods of construction.

As a means for driving the machine through the air, I prefer to employ a cylindrical propeller as 40, engaged upon the shaft 41, projecting from the forward end of the machine, and operated in the usual way by a motor, suitably located in the car 10.

The tail or steering mechanism includes a horizontal rudder plane 12, hinged at 43 to the horizontal support 44, fixed upon the rear end of the car 10, and from which the rear horizontal supporting and stabilizing planes 45 project. The rudder plane 12 is operated by means of wires as 46 which are connected thereto as at 47. These wires may be passed over the usual system of pulleys and connected in any eflicient manner by conveniently located operating levers. By manipulating the rudder plane 42, the aeroplane may be elevated or lowered in the air as desired. A vertical rudder plane 48 is pivoted as at 49 to the horizontal support 44, the purpose of this rudder being to steer the aeroplane either to the right or to the left as desired, the same being manipulated by wires as 50, which are connected thereto as at 51, and which, after passing over the usual system of pulleys, may be connected with suitable operating levers, located in the customary way near the pilots seat.

Having thus described my invention, What I claim is 1. An aeroplane having a body and having a main plane mounted transverse the direction of flight underneath the body at its front end characterized by the fact that it extends rearwardly from its front edge with which it moves as about a horizontal axis to incline toward and away from the bottom of the body, vertical supports united with said axis intermediate their length so as to have portions extending upwardly and downwardly therefrom approximately at right-angles tothe projection of said plane, one vertical support on either side of said body, a running gear carried by the downwardly extending portions of said supports, connections between the upwardly extending portions of said supports and said plane, and manually operable mechanism connected with said connections by which to cause said plane and said running gear to move together about said axis.

2. The combination with an aeroplane having mounted underneath its body at its forward end a main supporting and elevating plane extending transverse the direction of flight and characterized by the fact that it is movable toward and away from the bottom of the body and about its front edge as a horizontal axis, of a shaft mounted for both axial and rotary movements, means for locking said shaft against rotary movement when it is shifted axially into one position, means normally tending to shift said shaft into position whereat it is locked, manually operated means associated with said shaft by which to efiect first its unlocking action and then to rotate the same, and means operated by the turning movement of the shaft for causing said plane to move about its axis.

3. In an aeroplane, the combination with the body thereof and a main plane journaled thereunder transverse the direction of flight to move toward and away from the body, characterized by the fact that its front edge constitutes a horizontal axis about which it moves, a shaft arranged transverse the body for both axial and rotary movements, means for locking the shaft against rotary movement when in one position, spring means normally urging said shaft into position whereat it is locked, manual means associated with the shaft by which it may be unlocked and turned, and means connected with the plane and controlled by the turning movement of the shaft for inclining said plane downwardly and away from the body.

4. In an aeroplane, the combination of a shaft arranged to have both axial and rotary movements, two fittings through which said shaft extends, means, on said shaft adapted to be received within one of said fittings and to cooperate therewith to hold the shaft locked against rotary movement, resilient means connected with said shaft and seated in the other fitting tending normally to force said shaft into position whereat it is locked, and a wheel on said shaft adapted to serve as means by which manually to shift the shaft out of locking engagement and by which to turn it.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

ALFRED HARB.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

